What does the Bible say about punishing children?

15 verses about punishing children, ranked by the votes of OpenBible.info readers, with the King James text.

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Bible verses about punishing children

1. Proverbs 23:13 — Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. 10 votes
2. Proverbs 13:24 — He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes. 7 votes
3. Proverbs 22:6 — Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. 7 votes
4. Proverbs 22:15 — Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. 6 votes
5. Proverbs 29:15 — The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame. 5 votes
6. Ephesians 6:4 — And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 5 votes
7. Proverbs 19:18 — Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying. 4 votes
8. Proverbs 29:17 — Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul. 3 votes
9. Ephesians 6:1 — Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 3 votes
10. Hebrews 12:6 — For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 3 votes
11. Exodus 20:12 — Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 2 votes
12. Deuteronomy 21:18 — If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: 2 votes
13. Romans 6:23 — For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 2 votes
14. Colossians 3:21 — Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. 2 votes
15. Hebrews 12:11 — Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 2 votes

Where these verses are

Proverbs (7), Ephesians (2), Hebrews (2), Exodus (1), Deuteronomy (1), Romans (1), Colossians (1)

Related topics

• Punishing Your Children
• Discipline Kids
• Child Discipline
• Spanking
• Parents And Children
• Disciplining Children
• Discipline Of Children
• Spanking Children
• Parents Responsibilities
• Parent Child Relationship
• Parental Discipline
• Parenting

Topical Bible data by OpenBible.info (https://www.openbible.info/topics/), CC BY 4.0. Votes reflect how many readers judged each verse relevant; they are not a doctrinal ranking. Verse text: King James Version.